Service Upgrades

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wmeek

Senior Member
Location
Texas
Occupation
Electrician
Was wandering a ball park price for service upgrades in the Houston area. 100A and 200A overheads
 
I don't think I have ever done a 100 amp service. I won't even consider a 200 amp upgrade for less than $2,000.00.
 
Scott,

If you worked near Bob (Iwire) you'd be getting $3200 for a 200 amp overhead service. (Anyone want to move to Boston?) We had a thread like this some time ago. I'm sure if you do a search you'll find it. 200 amp services range anywhere from $1500 to $3200 depending on where in the US you are. I can't imagine the material being that much different in price so it comes down to how much you want to make doing the work and what the market in your area will bear.

In my area of NJ the prices vary greatly. In the county I live in, 200 amp services usually range from $1600 to $2000. If you move one county over the prices go up to about $2300. This is for a straight forward, every day, run of the mill service without a mast, disconnect or any other additional features
 
In my area, Northwestern Wisconsin, a 200 Amp main breaker, 40 space panel goes for about $130. A 200 Amp meter socket w/bypass goes for $120. The other incidentals like wire, conduit, ground rods, breakers, etc. can usually be had for $250 or so. That brings the material to the $500 area. I can usually do a service upgrade in around 10 hours. I don't think the local economy could ever support the prices you guys are mentioning so I guess it's the determining factor. I wish I could get 2K for a service change..... :D
 
Why don't you call a couple of the larger contractors in your area and tell them you need a 200A overhead upgrade, you have a 100A now and want to know there price. I have told people that I used to work with what I charge and they thought I didn't like people, but it I am not expensive. Just not cheap. I am getting between 1.5 and 2 times what I charged for the first couple I did. There may be more money in the market than you are giving credit for.
 
Bradleyelectric
"There may be more money in the market than you are giving credit for"


I agree, and a lot of times this holds back the less experienced contractor from charging enough for the installation.
 
Yes, the larger Yellow Page contractors around here do get more for service upgrades but this market is flooded with a lot of smaller guys, me being one of them, who have to bid less than the big boys to give the customer a " reason " to use us low overhead guys.
 
electricmanscott said:
I won't even consider a 200 amp upgrade for less than $2,000.00.
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OK, Whats a 1000-1200 sq. foot house go for in that area? My guess would be around 500K. Same house here is 180-200K. I do a service change for about a $1000 and I get the meter enclosure free from POCO and SE cable is used.

With the cost of living I might be making out better!!..........................Maybe
 
m73214 said:
Yes, the larger Yellow Page contractors around here do get more for service upgrades but this market is flooded with a lot of smaller guys, me being one of them, who have to bid less than the big boys to give the customer a " reason " to use us low overhead guys.
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How about you will be doing the work, not some guy that was in high school last year as the reason for them to use you not them. Sell them that and don't work cheap. If they called you than the size of the larger guys add doesn't matter. If you divide the larger guys overhead among the manhours in the field, and your overhead amoung the manhours of the guys in the field, who has the higher overhead per manhour? They are getting more because they are selling the jobs better, not because they are bigger. Stop kidding yourself.
 
They are getting more because they are selling the jobs better, not because they are bigger. Stop kidding yourself.
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I had roofing repair work, and needed an estimate, called 4 contractors, one was a free estimate, he stopped by looked at the house from the street and wrote out an estimate, 1,800, his estimate was sloppy writing, and vague as to what he was going to do, 2nd Guy came he was $150 for the estimate, he stopped went in the street, looked, came back and wrote out an estimate, again vague on what he was going to do, $1500, his truck looked like it came from a junk yard, 3rd Guy stopped by $150 for estimate, he pulled a ladder off the truck, went on the roof, looked it all over, came down and explained what i needed, and gave me some options, his price $2,400 and he waved the estimate fee, i canceled the 4th guy and went with the $2400 also his truck was late model and clean, he presented himself well, it's not all price, that customers look for, it took me years, to learn that.
 
satcom said:
his truck was late model and clean, he presented himself well, it's not all price, that customers look for, it took me years, to learn that.
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GC was jerking me around about a job he told me I had last week, called Monday because no paperwork yet, not unusual for this guy, asked if we were going to get started we could start running emergency circuit Tues. morning. Blah blah owner wanted another price on electrical. Got a phone call from a hotel downtown needed low voltage wire run for card reader system asap T&M would be fine. OK I can have a truck there in the morning. Don't you want to come out and look at the job first? Aaaa.. Yes, I can be out there this afternoon. OK, went and saw the guy and his hotel shook hands and looked at the location of the card reader and where it needed to be run to. Yeah, I can have a truck here in the morning. Great, I don't care what it'll cost, it has to be done ASAP. Just have to be able to understand what the customer is looking for. He wanted me to look, I looked. Supply house not far, I told him my man can get anything he needs there. T&M. He wouldn't care if I billed the initial contact.
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